FINAL BILL REPORT

 

                           SSB 6481

 

                           C 41 L 94

 

                      SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

 

 

Brief Description:  Requiring approval by an institution of higher education's governing board and services and activities fees committee before shifting budgeted services and activities fees.

 

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Bauer, Prince, West, Sellar, Morton, Drew, Rinehart, A. Smith and Sheldon)

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Services and activities fees are statutorily defined to mean fees which are charged to all students and are used to fund student activities and programs.  These fees are also dedicated to repaying bonds and other indebtedness for facilities such as dormitories, hospitals, dining halls, parking facilities, and student, faculty and employee housing.

By law, the governing boards of the state institutions of higher education have the final authority for adopting a services and activities fees budget.  The governing boards also have the responsibility to charge and collect the fees from each student, and within limits set by law, to establish the level of the services and activities fees at their respective institutions.

 

In 1990, legislation was enacted which strengthened the role of students in recommending and negotiating the budget for services and activities fees at the respective institutions.  This legislation gave the Services and Activities Fee (S&A) Committee, which has a mandated student majority, the ability to propose program priorities and budget levels directly to the governing board, rather than through the college administration.  The governing board is directed to give priority consideration to student desires in budget areas that do not impact the stability of programs affecting students, pre-existing contractual obligations, or bond covenants.

 

SUMMARY:

 

The services and activities fee process is changed so that both the governing board and the S&A Fee Committee must give express approval to any shifting of S&A fee moneys once the budget for those moneys has been established.

 

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

 

Senate    47   0

House     95   1

 

EFFECTIVE:June 9, 1994